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MORGAN
,
WILLIAM
(
c.
1545
-
1604)
;

It is unlikely that
Morgan
was a pupil of
Tremellius
, who was a
tutor
at
Cambridge
from
1550 to 1553
only, though he did visit
London
for a period in
1565
. However,
Morgan
could have used
Tremellius
's
Latin
translation of the
Old Testament
, which was published in
Frankfurt
in
1575
and reprinted in
London
in
1579-80
.

For
Morgan
's use of
Tremellius
's
Old Testament
and his methods as a
translator
see
IsaacThomas
,
Yr Hen Destament Cymraeg, 1551-1620
(
1988
) and
Y Testament Newydd Cymraeg, 1551-1620
(
1976
). For
Morgan
's status as a
scholar
see also
R. GeraintGruffydd, ‘
The Translating of the Bible into the Welsh Tongue
,’
1988
.

Author:

Sir Glanmor Williams, M.A., Swansea

Corrections and additions:

b. at
Ty Mawr
,
Wybrnant
, in the parish of
Penmachno
, the son of
John ap Morgan ap Llywelyn
, a
copyholder
on the
Gwydir estates
, and his wife
Lowri
, daughter of
William ap John ap Madog
. Reputed to have received his early education at the hands of a former
monk
, he entered
S. John's College
,
Cambridge
, as a
sub-sizar
in
1565
. He graduated
B.A.
in
1568
, and
M.A.
in
1571
; and later became a
B.D.
(
1578
) and
D.D.
(
1583
). At the university he became a pupil of
John ImmanuelTremellius
, an eminent
Hebrew scholar
, and it was probably about this time that he first imbibed
Protestant doctrines
. [He was ordained
deacon
at
Ely
,
15 April 1568
; his application states that he was then 23 years old; he was
priested21 Dec.
in the same year].

From
1572-7
he may well have held the
vicarage
of
Llanbadarn-fawr, Cards.
He afterwards became
vicar
of
Welshpool
(
1575-9
),
sinecure rector
of
Denbigh
(
1575-96
),
vicar
of
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant
(
1578-1595?
) and of
Llanarmon
(
1578-95?
),
rector
of
Llanfyllin
(
1579-1601
), and
parson
of
Pennant Melangell
(
1588-95
). Life was made very difficult for him at
Llanrhaeadr
by the hostility of some of his parishioners. Chief among his enemies was
EvanMeredith
of the family of
Lloran Uchaf
, whose enmity was first roused when
Morgan
thwarted his nephew's aspirations by securing the marriage of a wealthy heiress to
RobertWynn
of
Gwydir
. In
1579Morgan
testified in an action concerning the validity of
Meredith
's marriage, and during the hearing of the case first came into contact with
archbishopWhitgift
who greatly encouraged him in his work of
translation
. The upshot of these quarrels was a suit brought by
Morgan
, and countersuits by his enemies, in the
Court of Star Chamber
and the
Council of the Marches
,
1589-91
. The
Star Chamber
records reveal
Morgan
as being on the whole a conscientious
parson
much harassed by the malice of his enemies.

It is just possible that
Morgan
began to
translate the Bible
before leaving
Cambridge
; certainly he completed it during his sojourn at
Llanrhaeadr
— a remarkable fact in face of the bitter quarrels there. Thanks to the hospitality of
GabrielGoodman
(q.v.)
, he was able to supervise the printing of his
Bible
, which began in
London
towards the end of
1587
. It was published some time
between Sept. and 20 Nov. 1588
. In his dedication to the
queen
,
Morgan
eloquently argued the pressing need for the translation. Though the language of his
Bible
was somewhat pedantic, he incorporated with the vigour and purity of the medieval classics a new flexibility and wider range of expression. His work marks the real beginnings of the literature and
Protestantism
of modern
Wales
. In
1588
, also, his translation of the
Psalms
appeared separately.

On
30 June 1595
he was consecrated
bishop of Llandaff
, retaining his living of
Llanfyllin
and possibly others. Translated to the slightly wealthier see of
S. Asaph
in
1601
, he resigned his other benefices, but held the
archdeaconry of S. Asaph
‘in commendam.’ As a
bishop
, he showed notable zeal in encouraging preaching and rebuilding. His determination to safeguard the temporal possessions of the see led him into sharp conflict with
DavidHolland
of
Teirdan
, and into an even more bitter controversy with
SirJohnWynn
(q.v.)
. He d.
10 Sept. 1604
.
Morgan
m.
Catherine
, daughter of
George
, widow of
WilliamLloyd
, but d.
s.p.